Lawmakers question use of MS for street project

Lawmakers agreed to a 120,000 increase to a waterline improvement project.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- Legislation to hire MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown to engineer a project has again brought displeasure to some lawmakers.
By a 5-1 vote, council advanced to a second reading legislation that would allow the mayor to enter into a contract with MS to design the Main Street resurfacing project.
The project, which is estimated to cost 625,000, calls for the resurfacing of Main, except for the downtown.
Councilman Terry Tackett, who cast the dissenting vote, pointed out that MS receives most of the engineering work for the city and it seems like other engineering companies "are being shut out."
Service Director Don Wittman explained that about a dozen companies submitted proposals for the resurfacing project and that MS was the most qualified. MS' proposal was approved by the Ohio Department of Transportation, he added.
Mayor Curt Moll and Wittman told lawmakers that the agreement with MS isn't based on the cost of the proposal, which will be negotiated later.
More dissent
Council President Frank Stocz agreed with Tackett, arguing that he believes MS is now dictating to the city.
Wittman, who used to work for MS, said that four other engineering companies have been used by the city since he became service director nearly three years ago.
Stocz said the city should attempt to hire other engineering firms and the city do some of the work.
"There is money that can be saved," Stocz said.
Stocz and Tackett complained about MS during the Nov. 20 council session when the company wanted, and received, an additional 6,247 for inspecting the Rosewae Avenue sanitary sewer improvement project.
Project cost increase
In other business, council approved a resolution increasing the projected cost of the Southern Waterline Extension Project by 120,000. The estimated cost is now 398,728. Wittman explained that the city increased the amount of work that needed to be done.
For example, it was decided to abandon a 6-inch waterline that services the downtown and replace it with a 12-inch line. Wittman said that the existing line is old and will break.
Finance Director Frances Moyer said the city doesn't have the money to pay for the additional work in this year's budget. It will be appropriated from the 2007 budget.
Also during the meeting, Moll made three reappointments to boards and a commission. All are five-year terms. They are Bill Sasse, planning, zoning and building commission; Gene Francisco, board of zoning appeals; and Dave Christner, park and recreation board.
yovich@vindy.com